Archive for August 2007

The top MMA journalist, Kevin Iole, Yahoo Sports, popped on to react to the Babalu news.

Renato Sobral is gone.

It’s a bit of redemption for Kevin, who was one of the first “real” MMA writers to call for Babalu’s firing. I use the word “real” because there are a slew of print/online journalists who would call for Babalu’s head simply to push an anti-UFC agenda. Iole is not anti-UFC.

This has been a raging debate online and Iole did get a ton of negative reaction, was accused of overstating the seriousness of Babalu’s assault on Heath. He addressed some of the critical online commentary by guys like Luke Thomas of Bloodyelbow.com.

Two other pressing issues to mention:

1. Is the Fedor deal getting done this week? We’ll have an update first thing tomorrow.

2. And we do want to track down some answers on the Matt Hughes/Pat Miletich split. Jen Pulver and Pat Miletich have gone on record saying it was a pleasant split. We’ll look into it more in the coming days and see if we can run down other fighters like Drew McFedries and Ben Uker.

Shocking news that Vince McMahon’s company has been forced into suspending some of his biggest stars for steroid and drug violations.

The suspensions come from the info gathered in the Albany, NY investigation into Signature Pharmacy of Orlando, Fla.

Wrestling-Edge.com is reporting that some of WWE’s biggest stars are amongst those suspended. The list includes Randy Orton, Edge and Booker T. The list also includes Chavo Guerrero. Apparently, no lesson was learned by Chavo in the tragic death of his uncle, Eddie.

Other clients of the Orlando pharmacy include Batista and Chris Masters. Three deceased wrestlers, Chris Benoit, Bryan Adams and Eddie Guerrero, are also on the client list.

Masters (pictured above story), who real name is Chris Mordetsky, has your classic roid physique. We also heard an interesting story from one of the hair replacement/restoration companies. A rep said Masters had been in to receive two different hair replacement surgeries. Keep in mind, Masters is just 24 years old. That’s some serious pre-mature baldness.

The N.Y. Daily News is all over the story:

Eddie Guerrero received the steroids testosterone and nandrolone, along with the estrogen-blocker anastozole, a drug commonly taken by men on steroids to prevent developing breast tissue, Nov. 2, 2005, just 11 days before he died of heart disease.

I am begging for editors, program directors and tv execs to hear me out.

PLEASE do not force your “talent” to contribute to your fantasy content when they clearly have no desire, no ability or both.

My blood was boiling over the ESPN Fantasy Football Draft “special” (does special mean this panel rides the short bus?) with such gems as the creator deciding an 8-team draft was worthwhile – I have never heard of an 8 team league in my life – and Michael Smith drafting Carson Palmer at pick number eight and saying “I’m drafting based on reality, not fantasy.”

Kudos to Trey Wingo for shooting back at Smith for this ridiculous statement on a fantasy show.

However, what really drew my ire was the Sports Illustrated Magazine draft.

Peter King, a writer I do respect, needs to stick with reality, not fantasy. Mr. King needs to understand that fanatsy football is not just about gambling on players who you assume will have great years. You need to draft like you are trying to win (this “league” does not play out over the course of the season, unlike the other si.com leagues) and not just trying to look smart at the end of the year.

If a real-life General manager drafted the way Mr. King did, he would be lambasted for his decision-making. Hear me out.

With the 8th pick, King took Bills rookie RB Marshawn Lynch. That’s right. Read it again. At 17, he took Adrian Peterson. OK, Mr. King may be a football genius and an expert drafter. There’s a chance Lynch will be the 8th most productive player in fantasy football this season (and I have a chance to have a foursome with my favorite Jessica’s Alba-Simpson-Beil). Although doubtful, that remains a matter of opinion. However, Mr. King clearly only drafted this way because nothing is actually on the line and he puts himself in a “I told you so” position at the end of the year. With his picks in the 3rd and 4th rounds, King took Jon Kitna and Lee Evans.

My point is simply this….there isn’t a draft that exists that wouldn’t have Lynch available at 17 and most likely at 32. Peterson would’ve been available at 32 and 41. If you were analyzing this move made by a real GM (who is King getting his advice from, Matt Millen?) King would nail this guy for not getting value at his picks. Let’s go on the premise that King doesn’t realistically think Maroney, Bush, Westbrook, Parker, R. Johnson or any other RB will outperform Lynch (unlikely, but let’s go with it). This means King passed on Manning, Palmer, Brees and Brady to play QB by reaching for Lynch too early and needing to settle on Kitna. Then, if he was scared out of his Starbucks little mind, let’s allow him to reach for Lynch at 17. At 32 he ended up taking Kitna when he could’ve grabbed the number 1 TE in Gates or a WR from the group of A. Johnson, R. Williams, Fitzgerald and Colston. At 41, Mr. King could’ve grabbed the beloved not-yet-starter Peterson.

It’s about value, not just players. I’ll go head to head with these picks Mr. King. We each get Lynch and Peterson, I’ll defer to his expert analysis. I’ll take Manning and one of the four above-mentioned WRs and you take Kitna and Evans. Winner gets a venti mocha latte-half skim and a blueberry scone.

My point to members of the media. Don’t insult our intelligence. It’s OK if you’re not into fanatsy football. But for those of us who do enjoy it, don’t bother us by not taking it seriously.

We’re big fans of Tony Danza’s TV child. She’s a huge sports fan. She’s proven that with her blog and the fact that she’s dated at least a half dozen pro athletes.

Now we don’t want to act like Mauricio (turned down a 10 because he didn’t like her big toe) from Shallow Hal but there’s one slight appearance flaw on Ms. Milano. Check out her arms closely in the picture.

People want to come to the defense of a-holes like Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie, who drive drunk and drugged up. Richie spent 82 minutes in jail for being arrested on Dec. 11, 2006, after witnesses reported seeing her black Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle headed the wrong way on a freeway in Burbank.

Now Hulk Hogan’s runt child, Nick almost killed himself and a friend in Clearwater car accident.

Law enforcement tells TMZ the accident occurred around 7:31 PM ET. According to police, a Toyota Supra, driven by Nick Bollea (Hogan’s real name), was traveling at a very high rate of speed when it lost control and hit a raised median. The car was flipped around and the back end hit a palm tree. The impact, we’re told, “destroyed the entire car.” The two male occupants were flown by Medivac helicopter from the accident scene to a hospital in St. Petersburg. We’re told both men had “very very serious” injuries. The accident happened on Court Street, a main drag in downtown Clearwater, causing the entire street to be shut down for hours.”

In spite, of being an instant millionaire, he did get a raw deal. His Dad is 6-foot-5, 300 pounds and one of the most recognizable entertainers in the world. He is non-athletic 5-foot-11 with no distinct talent. He got screwed.

And his Amazonian sister is a constant reminder of how he got jobbed in the gene pool.

That said, it’s time to grow up kiddo. You want to go kill yourself, fine. Drive 150 MPH in the Everglades where the only thing you can hit are alligators. Actually don’t do that PETA will bury you.

Call a cab or get driving lessons. Or simply slow down. I have relatives in the Clearwater area. I don’t need to hear that they’ve been splattered on the hood of your next $100,000 car.

In an interview in the upcoming issue of Rides magazine, Nick Hogan calls his gay yellow Toyota Supra a “pussy magnet” and that he routinely races his sister and his parents. Be sure you read this part, it was my favorite:

“In my silver Viper, I was driving from Miami to Tampa. I got pulled over going 107 [mph] and the guy let me off. He’s like, “Hey, I know who you are, just keep going, ya know.” Dude, I got back on the road and two minutes later I get pulled over going 113 [mph]. Another highway patrol from the same county said, “I just heard on the radio that my buddy pulled you over and let you go. I’ma let you go this time. It’s your second warning. You get pulled over again, you’re probably going to go to jail.” Three minutes later, [I was] doing 123 [mph] in a 50 [mph zone]. The guy is like, “Hey, I just heard you got pulled over twice in the last 10 minutes. I got to write you a ticket.”

Subscribe

Mr. Sunshine syndicates its weblog posts
and Comments using a technology called
RSS (Real Simple Syndication). You can use a service like Bloglines to get
notified when there are new posts to this weblog.